Car-truck.



PATENTED JULY 28 E. PEGKHAM.

GAR TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 894,342. PATENTED JULY 28, 1908'.

E. PEOKHAM.

OAR TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, 1906.

2SHEETSSHEET 2.

, scribed.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

EDGAR PEOKHAM, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORTO MARY J. PECKHAM, OFLONDON, I

' ENGLAND.

CAR-TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1908.

Application filed November 10, 1906. Serial No. 342,791.

Queen Annes Chambers, Westminster, London, S. W., England, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements Relating to Car-Trucks, of which thefollowing is a specification. t

My invention relates to new and useful im rovements in the structureof-trucks for rai way, tramway and similar vehicles, and is especiallyada table to self-pro elled vehicles particularly if the means 0propulsion consists of electric motors.

The invention embodies improvements relating to the truck and thesuspension of the truck, and the invention also includes an improvementin the means for suspending the motors and in the support andarrangement of the brake echanism.

Thepre-sent invention relates particularly to a type of car truck orvehicle under-carriage having a flexible wheel base and an axle framecarrying .the motor and wheel brakes. This frame'or sub-truck is pivotedto the main truck or vehicle in a manner to allow the said frame and itsaxle to turn independ' ently of the vehicle or main truck in anareshaped path described from the aforesaid pivotal oint.

The 0 ject of this invention is to-introduce improvements in the methodof suspending the main truck from the journal boxes; in the connectionand suspension of the subtru ck; in the arrangement of the brakes andoperating mechanism; and also structural features, all of which will behereinafter de- In order that a clear understanding of my invention maybe had, reference is made to the accompanying drawings'of which,

Figure 1 is a Ian-view of a single car truck or vehicle un er-carriageshowing the ar ran'gement of the sub-truck structures for supporting themotors and wheel brakes; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of portion of atruck showing a method of suspendin the truck" from the axle 'ournal-boxand a so the connection of the rake rigging; Fig. 3 is an end elevationshowing the-brake rigging connection to the sub-truck and also the meansfor supporting the sub-truck from the main truck; and, Fig. 4 is adetail view showing separately the pendulumlike support for thesub-truck.

Firstly the invention relates to the main truck structure and consistsof a reinforced side frame member 1 constructed of a forged top memberand a lower sectional member 2 preferably-cast and provided with pocketsor recesses 3 to recelve the car supporting springs 4. The sections ofthe lower member are secured to the upper member, a space being leftbetween the ends of the several sections to allow a clearance space 5for the axle journal-boxes'o. The sections of the lower member arepreferably provided with an upper 1projection which projects upwardbetween t e-bars of the top member, where two bars constitute the topmember, or at the side if only one bar is used. The sectional or lowermembers are intended principally to be'employed for the purpose ofconverting existmg'truck frame structures into a form to which the otherparts of'my invention ,will be applicable. The said intermediate memberswill also enable a high runi'ng' car to be altered to a low running oneby dispensing with the intermediate pieces entirely or if the extreme isnot wanted, mem

bers of less height would be used.

Secondly the invention-embodies the employment of a gear for su portingthe main truck frame 1 upon or om the journalboxes. The gear consists ofa springlank 8 located beneath the journal-boxes an suported therefromby a U-shaped bolt or by inks 9 hanging from the box 6 and extendingbelow it and from which box the spring plank 8 is therefore supported.The spi'ling plank is parallel with t e truck frame w 'ch is supportedby it. The springs 4 are located at each end of the spring lank' 8between it and the truck frame. his arrangement'of spring plankslipported from the-journalbox by a bolt or 1' s will allow thejournal-box to movelaterally when sufficient side pressure is applied-to the wheel flange. To provide for a radial movement of the journalboxwhen rounding curves, I preferably construct the lower ends of the boltor links forked shaped so that they will straddle the spring plank andconnect the ends of the forked section 1.0 that extend below the springplank by a bolt 11 sufliciently strong to sup ort the. entire weight ofthe truck and car. pon these bolts I ocate .a hollow tube or roller 12or otheranti-friction device that bears against the under-side of thespring plank 8. These rollers orother devices allow the j ournal-box tomove easily in either which'dep'end from the member 1 to which I theyare secured.

Thirdly and chiefly the invention embodies the construction, support andarrangement of an inside sub-truck 14 or axle frame which supports themotors (not shown), brakes 15 and operating mechanism therefor. Thissub-truck is supported at or near one end upon an extended end 6 of' thejournalboxes6 or upon separate bearings on the axle A, and its inner endby a suspension support, suspended from the sides of the main truckframe 1 insuch a manner thatthe sub-truck frame 14 and motor can movefreely with the 'wheels and axles when radiating on curves.

The means of suspension is preferably a device as illustrated in Fig. 4of the drawings and consists of providing a rigid cross-bar or beam 16extending from one side frame member 1 to the other nearly at the centerof the main truck and elevated by uprights 17. Bolts 18 havingsemi-spherical heads which fit in corresponding recesses 19 furnish aball and socket. joint for the head of the bolt. The end member 14 issupported by the bolts 18 dependingwfrom the cross-bar 16 and as thesebolts must support most of the weight, of the motor, they must besufliciently strong. Springs 19 are interposed between the-adjustingnuts 20 and the member 14' to provide a cushioning efiect for thesub-truck at its point of support. The extreme inner end of thesub-truck is also-connected fiexi bly with the center cross member B ofthe main truck frame so that the sub-truck can radiate easily from itscentral connection which it cannot do when this..connection is rigid. Asthe sub-truck has a tendency to move in the same direction as the wheelsand axles upon a curve, so that it can adjust itself to curves ofdifferent radii the connection as stated is flexible or to a degreeuniversal. A link 21 is ivotally connected at one end to a point at t ecenter of the sub-truck member 14 and at the other end the link ispivoted to a bracket 22 secured on the main cross member B, and to causethe sub-truck to assume a position central with respect to the maintruck and car when the car is running on a straight track the inside endof the frame and expand according to t e pull on them by the wheels andaxles when on curves and tend to return the sub-truck to its normalposition central with the car.

Fourthly the invention embodies a brake mechanism construction andarrangement which consists of a main brake beam 24 to which thebrake-shoes15'are attached in the usual way and brake rods and leversconnecting the brake beam with a sway bar connected to the car-body.Thebrake beam 24 is sus ended from the outercross bar or section of t esub-truck frame 14 and is connected at each end by rods 25 to uprightlevers 26 fulcrumed on a lower cross bar 27 secured to the side frames14* of the sub-truck 14 (see Fig.' 3). These upright levers (one on eachside) are connected to each other-by across bar 28. This cross bar isconnected at its center with the forked end of a brake rod connectingthe cross bar with the sway bar attached to the car-body in the usualmanner. This sway bar is also connected in the usual manner with rodsleading to the platform of the car where the brake is operated. As thebrake beam 24 supporting the brake shoes 15 and also the upright levers26 are connected to the sub-truck they move radially with it and theconnections between the upright levers and the sway. bar of the carbodybeingadjustable they are not affected by the radial movement of thesub-truck. Spring devices 29 serve to throw the brakes back to theirnormal position out of contact with the wheels.

The main truck frame is constructed in the usual mannerwith enlargedopenings in the pedestal sections to allow the journal boxes to moveradially without coming in contact with the sides of the pedestals. Thetruck frame is also provided with the main center cross member B unitingthe-two side frames and forming a base for the sub-truckframe pivotalconnection. The truck frame is also provided with cross bars 16 to whichthe subtruck is attached by flexibly suspended bolts.

The general arrangement of the radial gear supporting the main truckframe from the ournal boxes and the sub-truck supporting the motorand-brake mechanism flexlbly suspended from the side members of the maintruck together with the flexible connection between the brake levers andthe swaybar of the car-body allows the wheels and axles and thesub-truck carryin the motor and brake mechanism'to adjust t emselves tocurves of any radius without interfering with the drive of the motors oraction of the brakes. The wheels and axles can also move laterally whenside pressure is unequally applied to the Wheel flanges as is the casewhen round ing curves Where the outer rail is raised above the level ofthe inner rail.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is 1. A railway car or vehicle having a main truck frame which issupported upon or from the car axle in such a manner that the said axleis allowed a radial and also a lateral movement independent of the saidtruck frame or the vehicle, and a sub-truck or structure carrying thepropelling motor or motors and the Wheel brakes supported on thecar-axle and connected at one end to the said main truck in a manner topermit the said sub-truck to move both radially and laterally relativelyto the main truck With the movement of the axle, substantially asdescribed.

'2.v In combination With the main truck of a vehicle, a sub-truckstructure carrying the motor or motors and the Wheel brakes, the saidsub-truck bein sleeved or supported on an axle of the vehic e andflexibly connected at one end to the main truck to permit of a radialmovement and also a lateral movement independent of said main truck, andsprings or like means for centralizing the sub-truck when the vehicle isrunning on a straight track, substantially as described.

3. In combination With an under-carriage or main truck of a car orvehicle, wheel brakes and operating mechanism therefor connected to andsuspended from a sub-truck or axle frame so as to permit a free radialmovement and also a lateral movement of said truck, and an arrangementof links and levers for operatively connecting said brakes with theoperating mechanism.

4. In combination with a truck structure or under-carriage for cars orother vehicles consisting of a main truck and a sub-truck havingindependent movement relatively to the main truck, means for supportingsaid main truck from the car-axle journal boxes in a manner'to permitvertical movement of the main truck and also independent radial andlateral movements of the axle independent of the truck or vehicle,substantially as described.

5. A radial sub-truck or structure for supporting the propelling motorand brakes of railway or tramway vehicles connected to and suspendedfrom the main truck or the vehicle in a manner that Will permit the saidsub-truck to move both laterally and radially With the Wheels and axlesto adjust itself to different curves of the track, substantially asshown and described.

6. In a car or vehicle truck or under-carriage the employment ofintermediate separable sections or extensions to the truck frame betweenthe truck sus ension gear and the truck frame, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

' 7. Ina vehicle of the class described, the combination With the Wheelsand axles, of

axle boxes upon said axles, a truck structure for the under-carriage ofsaidvehicle including spring planks, and links for suspending saidspring planks from the axle boxes, said links permitting free lateralmovements of the spring plank With respect to the axle boxes,said-spring planks resting upon the link suspension in such manner as tohave longitudinal movements with respect thereto, whereby said truck maymove radially and laterally independently of the axles.

8. The combination with the-truck structure or under-carriage for carsor similar vehicles, of Wheels and axles therefor, axle boxes upon saidaxles, and a link suspension provided for supporting said truck from theaxle boxes, said truck havin a sliding movement with respect to said linsuspension.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of October1906.

EDGAR PECKHAM.

